New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-28
TILE COKE FAMLNE.
ORIGIN OF AN UNRGGHTEoUs STRIKE.

ChApA-' VI nv OA'ht'fAAA-N h~@~'A
AGREEING TO ADMIRATION AND THEN REFUSING
TO ABIDE BY IT LOOKING TO MR. POwDERLY.
tFRoM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
PITTsBUEG, Penn. May 27.-f went ont to Bessemer
Monday to visit the Edgar Thomson steel Works owned
by Carnegie Brothers Co.. AMI found taat three OF their
large blast furnaces had suspended operations. and
more 20 be banked next day. on account OF the
coke famine This will 400 OF 500 men to be idle
in works alone: and II the strike in the Councils
Vile district continues, the number must soon be very
greatly increased inquiry at the Offices Of several OF the
largest iron and steel mills I'm this city discoses the fact
of scarcity Of coke everywhere partial suspensions
already, and very widespread sioppage unless the
u, 900 men who refusing to work resume
Here in pltfsburg the Connellsve strike Is the most
prolific topic OF conversation. Even before the riotous
attack upon few workers at Jint0wn. last week. there
WIS prbc sympathy with the strikers, even among
worsingmen and now in the press and on the street
thcrc 70 he sharp rivalry in the invention OF
terms enough 10 denodnce them. The National
Labor Tribune" the organ OF the worngmen and OF the
KNIGHTS Of Labor and the mOst Influential Journal among
the coal, anil iron workers did everything IN ia
power prevent the strike and 10 induce the men to re-
sumo WORK after they had gone out. but s efforts have
been Of avail Prom all can learn tile strike II likely
20 continue indefinitely unless IN Powleriy orders the
men back There have been for the last two or
three days that he will do So
why Il n that these Connesve strikers are so unt-
versay condemned by those who, uudcr ordinary
circumstance might be expected tc sympathize with
them without regard for the justice Of their lie
mands Because, having submitted their case 10
friendly arbitration ard agreed IN advance to accept tie
award that should be made they refused 10 abide By
whea the decision vas against them. OF course they
nssign r-on for ths refusal, but that reason Is ac-
cepted by no
To understand the present troub!elt IS necessary to
review very briefly the history OF the relations between
the coal aDd coke Operators OF the Connesve district
and their employee for the last few years Once the
miners AMI coke workers thore were chiefly English.
Irish or Germans. strikes and labor controversies
arose and considerable number OF col0red Ton were
brought In t0 take ts places 81 those who were nn"h
inr ~ work for me WAGES offered tho conditions
iupo.ed But no coored dll not prove safisfac-
tory AMI Hungarian@. ~ they arc called bu re'y
slayonllu. were imported The coal miners ana c"Re
workers are now almost nj OF this nationality there
beln comparatively lev eft who speak tho English Ian
cuaee These sJavouans not very desirable class
OF population majority OF them are known rs Social
i,ts hut that what they they arc Revolution
lists Anarchists. Reds They opposed TO the gov
eminent ar home; they are opposed 10 government
berc--that f. 20 any government that imposes those
hraithh restraints that good American citizens recoe-
nzs m NECESSARY They I've in h AMI squllor such "a
4, .cr see u among the American and German workers
IN tho slme REGION and which - unnecea' ary' ~ -
moved by the homes and more attractive SUP
r1uniu Of the Latter. who work rs their Side and earn
TIC same wages II IL these socallcvl HnCarans who
have instituted the STRIKE. although the others being
members Of the labor organizations, are acting N
concert with them.
o,e i,,,r uuiors we're formed about two years 40.
one q, branch Of the Knights of Labor, and tic other OF
the ma-amatcd association Of coal Miners and Coke
No.ers During the last two years there has been an
advance Of - per IN inc market price OF coke IN
The sane time wages n the Coancisyiic district have
t- ~, NOR ont
rrel pcc Of coke In The interval. also. the system of
company stores or. as the wprknsrcn call them'
uluchme shops" bas been abolished. and The labor -
now pld for in cash instead Of orders ono OF the most
-oln.ut rrpre.eutatiy,s OF the labor Interest IN Ills
par OF tlc state told today that this change ia me
method OF piy was equivalent 20 n least 20 yer cent
advance ia wages Under tine old system the lborer paid
m less than TN more than the cash prices for I'll
fine Goods he bought But the adyan IN wages ' took
place before December ~ l--6 while The market lice
of hal then only reached u % 'lL j., en- 1'1
TIE Wo!kurmCn Ind begun 10 agtan 10. mort pay, "i'
ou tiat date &. meeting hot@crn tie Ptlahur- coHS ~ |
cate and representatives. OF te cmIole' vas nel sr
tie purpose II adjusting crTtalH rl-, 3l N3ES o
different classes OF labor AID a!l -thcd thc i"'"u.
declaration: We ought to tahc Ipl'r ' ~
advance IN Wages when me -,llnR lI'" W IN iif d,
rf.-el" roon after coke stl further advanced man
dollar % ton, and another meeting WINS u'l" nj Mo 40
f. il,f y,i p per Ger C. Neither side would agree, ana
iauLl n tho meantime De reached February - ~ 'l.
tff. U-.teA TAD tt-f' ilN ~
arbitration. tao terms Of he reference D.s ~ luI ~ "a
fl. .renud psruurapu which was rs .olloWs; ne VH''
100 WAGES the WorHnrn on Nv w i,,,rior - I *
IRE entitled to as per agreement "' b''l,t 49,, ~,
r. coke had advanced SO per cent ll pce, Il inay ~
lsxcl why shouldn't Wtlr7 nc lH,'','' ~ ~ an N
mat 4. the argument Used 10y tla ilhrF- ana Hs hi' ~
Becass tn prc, Of colo n tA's mArAet Us 10" r
IL ty 10 means follows That ne ronc opcth"to 90
nr mat price for their entire output or even lof any
,,osfter,bIo norton " IT, There "a scnlcey COM
c,rfor In the Cnnnrsville region Who ana NOT make
bi,,n months ago at the low prices that then pre-
vailed Most Of those contracts nave coh ,. ~,
vel 10 run. aud while the operators are now iI''lns 0
NOR, for their product, they are now aetuaLy palnh
l. e, per cent more wages AZ Wuuh ne snp'S ~ nor
ont The demand fOT increased wages u seu upon euo
pr,.rnt market price Of coke and not upon th,-c
prre. the detail. ~ which the woriins meh oSnno' W.
course. know me operator a.,I ,Ser nrv,te con-
and unwilling 10 Disclose me icrht Oh 1io'I P'''''o ~
tracts. offered the per cent advance y, oocb
The ar6itrators comprised Two ol oe
interest AMI John Il. Jacio OF flitsDrg vas tI sod
rilurir. One word about this latter g'i cnuh' TIC Ht
no possible interest with either party I've - nan ~
wealth who acts a. private ,'' H. s,irsst mon in
universally recognized onn or Inc lshttst men i
western peunslyVa ltls selection VIZ cy ~ o,ra
factory 10 both sides Ihe ~ IL nrssented
nd the case went the umpire tach sue piosenVoS
rs case in secret and sw0re To ~ ana MT John tb
tie papers with him 20 Colorhdo .er III my ,t rhev
rrpresntafives OF the w0rhngncn dl',o'Ctcu ' 49,
hd not put In part oI then case we on, 60
operators to advance wages per e', b could i've it
no weight: wasn't part % tue ease ~
crTng tbeir SIDE 10 him tho operators submitted 20
~ In rantl,enes me contracts under which they are
mutually selling coke Giving tnese tneI uo ny, ~
Mr. T,Skson der ed that w0rkingmen were not en-
~ -, nd, incro.e In WAGES. IN other WOrds me
cTerttors proved 10 him that they were actually setns
No more fnr their output nov thAn th' MSV On "a cs
~ ss6 when tlie MARKET price OF coke was % cents
ION less than IL to-day The ~orklnsHe4 NeLe y
snpafnt.d and astonslsd They confidently eApsssts1
~ 49,, az least 10 per increase aud Wheh thiy u'n
ge even the peF that had once been 'iers 1s nm
fGcy were almost wild with rage IheS @ ~,
demanded re per increase nom May L gave 'no
or.rators three DAYS To answer and then struck Nh.
TbIs IL the whole story OF The present cohhe s15
,rIc ~ rIsaned from both sidestpr nave p"s li
- LII win sofne OF the most Intelligent ami inhuenuit
NJ no wortngmen's representatives ~ ven an VI" NJ
Oh 80. Ir,,iess fie men are ordered hack Dy nv
PoErlery and obey him, II now LOOKS as th' I nt
trtisir would be long one, INVOLVING hleh us HVe
ouIy 10 The operators and strikers thhsoNV., nt ~
tbousauds OF iron and steel workers. VINO arc ~, ,J
Zen INV CoaneIlsyiile region. contcstol jus au
n only end in the gradual substitution or sirenEeIs ~
mo places OF the strikers Tor the wages wheA 3
~ Ina wear round about 81 40 DAY ana IN INC $50
aptbs more than 50 will command Al good Doi a. ,"o
men Who are now idle furnish